Hansbrough named AP's college player of the year

SAN ANTONIO -- Tyler Hansbrough, who topped the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring and rebounding and led North Carolina to the Final Four, was selected the Associated Press college basketball player of the year Friday.

The 6-foot-9 junior forward averaged 22.8 points, the highest mark by a North Carolina player since 1970, and 10.3 rebounds for the Tar Heels (36-2), who were ranked No. 1 for all but six weeks this season and were the overall top seed for the NCAA tournament.

Hansbrough was presented the award the day before the Tar Heels play Kansas in the second game of the Final Four.

He received 56 votes from the 72-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Freshman Michael Beasley of Kansas State had 15 votes and junior guard Chris Douglas-Roberts of Memphis got one in the voting conducted before the NCAA tournament. Hansbrough and Beasley both were unanimous selections as first-team All-Americans.

"I am very honored to get this award because there are a lot of good players in college basketball, and I just feel privileged to be in a situation with the coaches and players I am," Hansbrough said.

Hansbrough lived up to his advance billing this season -- he was one vote shy of being a unanimous pick for the preseason All-America team.

Hansbrough can enjoy his hardware after receiving 56 votes from the 72-member panel. (AP)

Known for his all-out hustle and physical style of play, Hansbrough led the Tar Heels with 57 steals and was credited with drawing 42 charges from opponents. He was chosen the MVP of the ACC tournament and the NCAA's East Regional, where he led the Tar Heels to their 17th Final Four appearance.

"The No. 1 goal is getting wins here; that's the most important thing," he said. "Individual awards are great, but the national championship is the ultimate goal."

Hansbrough, second on the North Carolina career scoring list with 2,151 points, 139 behind Phil Ford, joins Michael Jordan (1984) and Antawn Jamison (1998) as national players of the year from North Carolina. The last two players to lead the ACC in scoring and rebounding in the same season, Tim Duncan of Wake Forest in 1997 and Jamison, were national players of the year.

Players from the Atlantic Coast Conference have won the award eight times in the last 14 years.

Freshman Kevin Durant of Texas was the player of the year last season. He was the second overall pick in the NBA draft.